An Observation...

Has anyone ever mused about the titles for the YU and Stern newspapers, "The Commentator" and "The Observer," respectively? (No, just me? Well, I guess I have too much time on my hands...)

I'll be very honest - I'm not a feminist, which in my mind, are really "masculinists" - a.k.a., women trying to be men. I find that denying the way you were created is pointless and anti-Torah. Even presumtuous! I mean, who are you to question G-d's creation and the strengths and responsibilities given to both man and woman?

But getting back to my point, it is interesting how YU's paper is "The Commentator," a word we normally associate with Rashi, Rambam, and other meforshim (translation: commentaries on the Torah). It is the active, vibrant contribution of men to the ever-living Torah.

The women's newspaper, on the other hand, is "The Observer," conjuring up an image of a figure behind the window, peering out at the world. But staying there. No proactivity.

Now, it's funny, because I am writing this without even thinking of my point - truth be told, I don't think I have a point. Really, I'm just doing this for fun. But now that I look back on what I wrote, that second paragraph that might have seemed merely tangential is actually crucial. Everything I said up there (i.e. - my personal views on "feminism") is highly relevant to the random point I'm raising here, because I believe that a frum woman should be proud of her role as mother, wife, and indeed, ultimate teacher in her home. She is the one making many of the decisions that will raise a new generation, keeping the eternal Torah alive. The role G-d gave her (look at commentaries, and that wasn't meant to be funny, to Breishis/t about the creation of Adam and Chava) is meant to be different from that of man, yet no less important. Her role in shaping the lives of her own family, inside her home, is of galactically proportional importance. And to put it plainly, men are meant to be the ones outside, and women are meant to be inside. The roles that evolve from there are obvious. (Not that women shouldn't work - but that's another discussion...)

So it's no surprise that I find it ironic that the names of the YU and Stern newspapers actually reflect the roles that Hashem gave men and women, respectively. The men,actively commenting, while the women are taking a step back, observing.

Now only if "The Observer" would stick to that role... :-)

(I'm just waiting for the comments bashing that last statement.)

Introduction... POSTPONED!

So, I planned to sit down a write a really great, well-thought out, intelligent introduction to this blog (my first ever!). It would introduce my background to blogging (none), my inspiration to start, my reasons for blogging, and goal.

But then I got some great news that put me off of that idea completely...

A friend of mine got engaged! Not a close friend or anything, but a friendly acquaintance, someone I see often. Mazal Tov!

Now, she just, and I mean just turned 19, came back from a year in Israel 7 months ago, and dated this guy for 2 months. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for her and can't wait for her simcha. (And bear with me here, because this is where the ideas just start to flow and get a little disjointed...) One of the things I was planning on mentioning in my introduction (which is coming, I assure you) is that I was following a few humorous blogs about shidduch dating, one in particular, Bad for Shidduchim, and from there was introduced to the more general hashkafic discussions of Shades of Grey (although he posts his fair share of shidduch stories and observations). They were frum bloggers ("floggers"?) who were able to get their ideas out there and discuss them with others who wished to do so. I was inspired.

But what to write about? I'm not dating yet; both of the blogs mentioned above either center on dating or have a strong percentage of posts about dating. So I decided to use this as an opportunity for self-exploration and definition, something that I strongly believe needs to be done before one begins shidduch dating. (To be discussed in a later entry, when I'm not flustered over the news...)

Now, I honestly trust this girl. I know she is mature, and a clear thinker. So I have no problems with her getting engaged, per se... It's just that she is one of the first people of my age group that I know/have what to do with that is engaged. And that must only mean one thing...

IT. HAS. BEGUN.

Oh, I know she's just one person, and few, if none, of my friends are dating yet. It's always a hypothetical discussion that, I will admit, is discussed very often. But it still remains in the quiet, starry-eyed realms of hypothetical, and has never really impacted any of us. But when the first one goes... Well, it gets one thinking even more seriously.

Should I start dating? No.

Why not? I'm not ready yet.

How do I know? I DON'T!

But I think I'm OK with it. Despite the intense emotional pull and allure of the idea, I rationally understand that for me, the time is just not right. Mazal Tov for her, and it's the right time for her, but not for me. Sitting here for 20 minutes spitting out my thoughts and preparing to send them off into cyberspace (I know, that was such a cheesy line) has made me, once again, come to that comforting realization.

But that still doesn't take away from that ominous yet exciting feeling of anticipation that a whole new, unexplored time of our lives is coming up... (cue the "Twilight Zone" theme music)

Well, now that I just took my solid resolution to not talk about dating in my first post and chucked it out the window... :-)